The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has officially begun, with defending champion Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal among the biggest names included in the 30-player men’s shortlist announced by France Football on Tuesday.The women’s shortlist also features a host of major contenders, with two-time winner Alexia Putellas, Ewa…

Chennai: That morning cup of coffee could soon leave behind more than a caffeine buzz — its discarded husk could get a second life in your wardrobe. Scientists at CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, have developed a leather-like material from coffee husk, the agricultural residue left after coffee processing. It was then used to…

Ricky Ponting has admitted he is worried about where ODI cricket is heading, with the former Australia captain fearing the 50-over format could gradually be squeezed out by the ever-growing presence of T20 franchise cricket across the globe.Ponting, one of the most successful ODI batters in cricket history with 13,704 runs in the format, believes…

CHENNAI: In the first major audit of the Union govt’s Smart City Mission projects worth ₹10,000 crore, the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) has flagged widespread violations, including diversion of funds, execution of unapproved projects, deviations from approved plans and works outside designated Smart City areas, in Tamil Nadu.The performance audit of seven of Tamil Nadu’s…